Fuel receiving and conveying apparatus



Dec. 10,1946. E.MARTlN 2,412,408

F EL RECEIVING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Fil ed Dec. 29, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' mums E. MARTIN FUEL RECEIVING AND CONVEYING #XPPARATUS Filed Dec 29 1944 4 Sheets-sheaf 2 IN V EN TOR. E1765; w??? 10% ada/ Deulfi, 194$. E. MARTIN 2,412,48

' FUEL RECEIVING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Fiie'd Ded. 29, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet s 1 N V EN TOR.

iJ-GE/VE M49774 Dec. 10, 1946. E. MARTIN FUEL RECEIVING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Fi led Dec. 29, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 10, 1946 FUEL RECEIVING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Eugene Martin, Wesleyviile, Pa., assignor to The Standard Stoker Company, Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Application December 29, 1944, Serial No. 570,255

Claims.

This invention relates to material conveying mechanism and is particularly directed to an improved fuel conveying unit of a locomotive stoker for installation in a tender having a long fuel bin.

In order to minimize the stops necessary for replenishing the coal supply of a locomotive, it is of course necessary to increase the coal carrying capacity of the locomotive tender. Road clearances, tunnels, etc., limit the width and height of the tender fuel bin, so that additional coal space can only be provided by lengthening of the tender fuel bin. Lengthening of the stoker trough, which underlies the fuel bin floor, to make available the increased coal capacity of the lengthened fuel bin, presents a number of problems in the conveyance of the fuel.

This invention has for its main object, therefore, the provision of an improved tender unit of a stoker that will effectively receive and convey substantially all the coal of a locomotive tender having an unusually long fuel bin.

In the usual type of stoker tender unit for application to tenders having fuel bins of normal length, a screw of one piece construction supported at its rearward end in a bearing is employed. In a tender having a fuel bin that is unusually long, it is not feasible to merely lengthen the screw conveyor, since the greater the length of the screw conveyor the greater will be the swinging movement of the free front end of the screw conveyor, which if not confined within certain limits, causes the front end of the screw conveyor to be caught in the crusher causing damage to either or both or interrupting operation of the stoker.

Various sectional screw arrangements and trough constructions have previously been suggested and it is a further object of the invention to provide an improved construction, employing ofilset screw conveyors and troughs, which is simple in construction, easily installed, sufficiently compact to readily fit between the fuel bin floor and tender frame of the tender, provides ample bearing means for the screw conveyors, with a minimum restriction to passage of the fuel, and makes possible the use of screw conveyors of a length not in excess of that determined by practice to operate satisfactorily without bending or break mg.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel elongated hopper construction having offset troughs, that combines rigidity along with compactness and lightness to a greater extent than previous hoppers of comparable length,

Other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the follow ing description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a View in side elevation of a complete stoker embodying the novel tender unit, the stoker being shown as applied to a locomotive and tender.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the novel tender unit of the stoker;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4. is a sectional view taken on the i4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the rear end of the stoker tender unit with the side of the gear housing removed to show the gearing;

Figure 6 is a rear end view of the stoker tender unit with the gear housing cover removed to show the gearing in the gear housing; and

Figure '7 is a sectional view on the line Tl of Figure 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, the letter L designates a locomotive, T a tender and. S a stoker for delivering fuel from the tender to the locomotive. The locomotive and the forward end of the stoker are not shown in the remaining figures, since the invention resides in the tender unit of the stoker. The stoker front end arrangement of Fig. l is shown for purpose of illustration only and any of a number of stoker front end arrangements, well known in the art, may be used in conjunction with my novel stoker tender unit.

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The tender T is provided with a frame it and" a fuel bin I I, the latter having a floor l2 in which is formed a longitudinally elongated opening l3 extending substantially the length of the fuel bin and preferably centrally between the sides thereof. A plurality of shiftable plates I4 con.- trol the effective size and the location of the opening it whereby varying amounts of fuel may be delivered by gravity from the fuel bin H to the stoker hopper H5. The stoker hopper I5 is mounted in the space between the tender frame Hi and the fuel bin floor l2 and extends longitudinally beneath the opening therein substantially the full length of the fuel bin floor, with its longitudinal axis preferably coinciding with the central vertical longitudinal plane of the tender.

I'he forward floor portion it of the hopper I5 is shaped to form a trough II, the longitudinal axis of which is in the vertical medial plane of the hopper. The rearward floor portion it; of the hopper i5 is offset above the level of the forward floor portion it, and is shaped to form a trough Fuel is conveyed through the hopper l by screw conveyors 23 and 24 mounted, respectively, in the troughs l1 and I9. Since the bottom wall portions l5 and N3 of the hopper I5 are shaped to form ofiset troughs I! and 19, as previously described, and the screw conveyors 23 and 24 are mounted in the troughs, it is apparent that they are also offset with respect to each other, the axis of the screw conveyor 23 being in the medial vertical plane of the hopper l5 as well as in the medial vertical plane of the tender, and the axis of the screw conveyor 24 being parallel and offset to One side and above the axis of the screw conveyor 23.

The screw conveyors 23 and 24 are driven from their rearward ends through suitable gearing disposed in the gear housing 25 which is preferably formed as part of the rear casting 22. The mechanism for driving the screw conveyors comprises the driving engine 26 which is connected with the reduction gearing in gear housing 25 through a system of connected drive shafts, including the telescopic shaft 21, shaft 28 and shaft 29, the latter being mounted in the gear housing 25 and journaled in bearing 30 formed with rear casting 22 and a bearing (not shown) formed on the inside of gear housing cover 3|. The shaft 28 is journaled in bearings 32 and 33 formed, respectively, with the front and intermediate castings 29and 2|. While the driving engine 26 is shown (Fig. 1) mounted on the locomotive, it is evident thatit may be mounted on the tender in a manner well known in the art.

Referring particularly to Figures5 and 6, the drive shaft 29 is provided with a pinion 34 meshing with reduction gear 35 which is mounted on intermediate shaft 35. Intermediate shaft 39 is also provided with a pinion 31 which in turn meshes with reduction gears 38 and 39 mounted, respectively, on driven shafts 49 and. 4|. Shaft 40 is journaled in a bearing 42 formed with rear casting 22 and a bearing (not shown) formed on the inside of gear housing cover 3|, and is operatively connected with screw conveyor 24. Shaft 4| is journaled in bearing 43 formed with rear casting '22. and bearing 44 formed in gear housing cover 3i, and is operatively connected with screw conveyor 23 through the shaft 45 and the shaft 46 which latter shaft extends longitudinally beneath the trough l9. The shaft 45 is jour-l naled in bearing 41 which is formed in the upright wall 48 of the intermediate casting 2|. The upright wall 48 forms the rear wall of trough ll.

The forward end of screw conveyor 24' projects into the rearward end of the trough l 'l and overlaps the rearward end of screw conveyor 23 for a distance approximating one full turn of the screw flight. Fuel is thus conveyed by screw conveyor 24 into the trough I 1 and spills 1aterally and downwardly onto the screw conveyor 23. The screw conveyor 24 is supported at its forward end in the bearing 49 which is mounted on the side wall of the trough described.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the bearing49 is provided on its base with the depending guide means 59 extending through registering. openings 5| and 52, respectively, in the side wall of trough i1 and bracket 53, the latter beingformed integral with intermediate casting 21. The guide means 59 extending through openings 5| and 52 prevents movement of the bearing 49 with respect to the trough l'l except in a direction p rpendicular to the plane of the sidewall of trough l1 against which the bearing seats. The extent of such movement and the force necessary to produce it, is governed by a plurality of springs 54. The springs 54 are mounted on bolts 55 which extend through the bosses 55 of the bearing 49, the side wall of trough l1 and bracket 53, and whose heads seat on the bosses 55. The springs 54 seat at one end against the bracket 53 and at their other ends against disks I6 held on the bolts 55 by means of nuts 5! screwed on the ends of bolts 55.

With the bearing 49 for the forward end of screw conveyor 24 yieldable as described, if any foreign body or congestion of coal is encountered; by the screw conveyor 24, the incidental shock will not be sudden and hence violent but will be gradual and hence absorbed and undue strain on the stoker will be avoided; The yieldability of the bearing 49, or in other words, the resistance encountered by the screw conveyor 24 necessary to effect movement of thebearing 49, may be ad'- justed by manipulation of nuts 51.

Fuel delivered to the screw conveyor'23 by the screw conveyor 24, or delivered directly thereto from the fuel bin II through the opening I3. is

From the hopper l5, fuel is. conveyed forwardly to the firebox 5| of the locomotive L through a' system of conduits including a short conduit section .62 forming a hollow spherical shell which is received in a spherical portion 53 at the rearward end of the telescopic intermediate conduit carried by the lower rearward end of the disl! in the manner @Q be charge conduit 61' Fuel discharged from the delivery end of conduit 91 through the firing opening in the locomotive boiler backhead 99 is projected and distributed over the firebed by suitable means well known in the art.

In devising a tender unit of a locomotive stoker for application to a'tender having an unusually long fuel bin a great many factors must'be considered and numerous problems must be solved;

Such a construction should make all the fuel in the bin available to the conveying system; it must be made sufiiciently compact to fit in the limited space available between the fuel bin floor and the frame of a tender; it must eliminate the possibility of the forward end of the screw conveytweenthe ends of the screw conveyonrestriction of the free passage of the fuel must be avoided;

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the various problem involved in providing a practical and desirable tender unit of a Stoker for application :to a tenderihaving an unusually long fuel bin have been effectively solved. l

Throughout the foregoing description, where a long hopper is referred to, one in excess of approximately 170.inches is intended, since in excess of this length the difficulties and problems described are generally encountered. However, my construction may with advantage be incorporated in hoppers less than 170 inches without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A material feeding hopper of elongated shape provided in one end wall with a discharge opening, one portion of the bottom wall of said hopper remote from said end wall being shaped to form a conveyor trough terminating at its de livery end short of said end wall, said conveyor trough having its longitudinal axis offset at, its delivery end to one side of the longitudinal axis of the hopper, and another portion of the bottom wall of said hopper between said end wall and said conveyor trough being offset below the level of said first named bottom wall portion and shaped to form another conveyor trough having its longitudinal axis in the vertical medial plane of the hopper, said troughs being in communication for the passage of material from one to the other.

2. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a tender hopper adapted to be located beneath the fuel bin of the tender, one portion of the bottom wall of said hopper being shaped to form a conveyor trough having its longitudinal axis offset at its delivery end to one side of the longitudinal axis of the hopper, another portion of the bottom wall of said hopper being offset below the level of said first named bottom wall portion and shaped to form another conveyor trough having its longitudinal axis in the vertical medial plane of the hopper, a screw conveyor in each trough, and means for driving said screw conveyors from their rearward ends.

3. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a tender hopper adapted to be located beneath the fuel bin of the tender, the rear portion of the bottom wall of said hopper being shaped to form a conveyor trough having its longitudinal axis offset at its delivery end to one side of the longitudinal axis of the hopper, the front portion of the bottom wall of said hopper being offset below the level of said first named bottom wall portion and shaped to form another conveyor trough having its longitudinal axis in the vertical medial plane of the hopper, a screw conveyor in said rearward trough terminating at its forward end adjacent the adjoining ends of said troughs, and a screw conveyor in said forward trough.

i. In a locomotive Stoker, in combination, a tender hopper adapted to be located beneath the fuel bin of the tender, a forward and rearward screw conveyor in said hopper, the delivery end of said rearward screw conveyor being offset from the receiving end of said forward screw conveyor, means for driving said rearward screw conveyor from its rearward end, and a bearing for the forward end of said rearward screw conveyor, said bearin being yieldable out of its normal position and elastically held against such yielding.

5. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, ,a tender hopper adapted to be located beneath the fuel bin of the tender, a forward and rearward screw conveyor in said hopper, the delivery end of said rearward screw conveyor being offset from ithereceiving endof' said forward screw conveyor, and the .flightof saidfirearw'ard screw conveyor overlapping the flight of saidforward screw conveyor for a distance approximately equal to the pitch of said-screw conveyors, means for driving said rearward screw conveyor from its rearward end, and a bearing for the forward end of said rearward screw conveyor, said bearing being yieldable out of its normal position and elastically held against such yielding.

6. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a tender hopper adapted to be located beneath the fuel bin of the tender, a forward and rearward screw conveyor in said hopper, the delivery end of said rearward screw conveyor being olfset laterally and vertically from the receiving end of said forward screw conveyor, means for driving said rearward screw conveyor from its rearward end, and a bearing for the forward end of said rearward screw conveyor, said bearing being yieldable out of its normal position and elastically held against such yielding.

'7. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a tender hopper adapted to be located beneath the fuel bin of the tender, said hopper having communicating rearward and forward troughs, said rearward trough being shallower than said forward trough, a screw conveyor in said forward trough, a screw conveyor in said rearward trough, means for driving said last named screw conveyor from its rearward end, and a bearing for the forward end of said last named screw conveyor, said bearing being yieldable out of its normal position and elastically held against such yield- 8. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a tender hopper adapted to be located beneath the fuel bin of the tender, said hopper having communicating rearward and forward troughs, the longitudinal axis of said rearward trough at its delivery end being offset laterally and vertically with respect to the longitudinal axis of said forward trough at its receiving end, a screw conveyor in said forward trough, a screw conveyor in said rearward trough, means for driving said last named screw conveyor from its rearward end, and a bearing for the forward end of said last named screw conveyor, said bearing being yieldable out of its normal position and elastically held against such yielding.

9. In a locomotive stolrer, in combination, a tender hopper adapted to be located beneath the fuel bin of the tender, said hopper having communicating rearward and forward troughs, the longitudinal axis of said rearward trough at its delivery end being offset laterally and vertically with respect to the longitudinal axis of said forwardtrough at its receiving end, a screw conveyor in said forward trough, a screw conveyor in said rearward trough extending a short distance into said forward trough, means for driving said last named screw conveyor from its rearward end, and a bearing for the forward end.

of said last named screw conveyor mounted in the rearward portion of said forward trough,

said bearing being yieldable out of its normal position and elastically'held against such yield- 10. A material feeding hopper of elongated shape having front, rear, bottom and side walls, the upper edges of said front, rear and side walls defining a rectangular open mouth for said hopper, one portion of the bottom wall of said hopper remote from said front wall being shaped to form a conveyor trough terminating at. its

delivery end short of said front wall and. having its longitudinal axis parallel and offset to one side of the longitudinal vertical medial plane of the mouth of said hopper, and another portion of said bottom wall between said front wall and said trough being offset below the level of said being in communication for the passage of material from one to the other.

EUGENE MARTIN; 

